


can't get over just how you're designed

by oldpapertowns



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Ba Sing Se, Fluff, M/M, The Jasmine Dragon, and by somewhat i mean somewhat but this is a zukka fic so, sokka said acab, somewhat canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:22:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27694784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oldpapertowns/pseuds/oldpapertowns
Summary: Sokka hadn’t noticed how lonely he was until they stopped in Ba Sing Se.Toph makes him go to a tea house to stop his moping.He starts to feel better on the way there, but his mood comes crashing down quick when he finds none other than Zuko - banished Fire Prince and the guy who has been chasing Team Avatar across thefuckingglobe ever since Sokka’s left the Southern Water Tribe - standing behind the counter in an ivory and green apron, having the Spirits-damned audacity to make it look good.OR: s2e13 (city of walls and secrets) if sokka had been in the jasmine dragon when jet barged in and accused zuko and iroh of being firebenders
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 159
Collections: ATLA Winter Solstice 2020





	can't get over just how you're designed

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Duckseamail](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duckseamail/gifts).



> this was my first time participating in a gift exchange, but i absolutely adored it :D thank you haylestorming and RoseMagdalena for organizing this!
> 
> title from ‘lo-fi children’ by wild party
> 
> completed 11-23-2020, revealed 12-21-2020

Sokka hadn’t noticed how lonely he was until they stopped in Ba Sing Se.

It hits him hard one morning, when he walks into the main room of their Upper Ring house to find Aang and Katara curled up into each other, fast asleep, hands still intertwined. He lets himself think about the presence of another person who understands him, who completes him, for three seconds and three seconds only.

After those three seconds are up, he bangs his club against the floor. “Up and at it, lovebirds! It’s a wonderful day in Ba Sing Se, and what are you two doing? _Sleeping?_ Get up!”

Aang and Katara jerk awake and away from each other, and Sokka manages to distract himself for another few hours before he starts feeling the need to wallow in self-pity. So he locks himself away and mopes in his room until Toph starts banging on his door.

“Open up, Snoozles!”

Sokka groans from where he’s lying face down on his futon.

“You have five seconds before I force myself in there.” Toph’s tone is demanding, and Sokka knows from experience that she can and will make good on her threat.

“Okay!” he yelps, dragging himself up and opening the door to his room, rolling his eyes as Toph barges past him and makes herself at home on his bed, kicking her feet up against the wall immediately. “Yes, Toph, feel free to enter my room.”

“Cut the crap,” Toph scoffs. “I can feel you moping from all the way across the house. What’s going on?”

Sokka shrugs, slumping down to the floor, unable to vocalize what he’s feeling. He’s happy for Aang and Katara, he really is - it’s just that their casual _togetherness_ had set off a chain reaction inside him, and there’s now what feels like a pit in his stomach when he thinks about how he has nobody to depend on like the two of them do. Sure, there’s Suki, but the distance makes their relationship harder than it already was, with them being in the middle of a war and all. Not to mention they've broken up. Temporarily or permanently, they hadn't brought up.

“Hm.” Toph’s face is calculating, clouded eyes fixed on Sokka. “You know what I think you should do?”

“Get over it?” Sokka suggests, chin resting on his palm. He can’t afford to let his emotions get in the way of protecting everyone, after all.

Toph frowns. “No. You should go drink some tea.”

“Is that an insult?”

“No, I’m literally saying you should go to a tea shop.” Toph sits up, planting her feet on the floor. “There’s one in the Lower Ring, and an old man works there. He’s really nice. So is his tea. You should give him a visit and say you’re a friend of Toph’s. You might get good advice out of it.”

 _Why not?_ Sokka thinks with a heavy sigh. It’s not like he really has anything better to do. He heaves himself to his feet, leaning against the doorframe. “Okay. I’ll give it a try. Now can you get out of my room?”

“Gladly,” Toph snorts. She walks towards the door, and just before she steps out of the room, Sokka speaks up, not having bothered to move.

“Thanks, Toph. Really. I appreciate it.”

She stops and smiles, then punches him in the arm. “No problem, Snoozles. Go get that tea.”

Sokka touches up his hair and changes into new clothes, deeming his appearance passable in the mirror. He gives his reflection finger zaps and grins at himself, though it doesn’t stick. _Damn relationships_ , he thinks with a sigh.

After yelling to the other residents of the house that he’s leaving and will be back before midnight, Sokka sets off towards the tea house. Hopefully he won’t get lost - Toph had given him extremely dubious directions to this magical tea-making man. (“What? I’m blind! You think I can give you accurate directions?” Sokka’s grumbled reply of “Yes, actually,” had gotten him a painful punch to the stomach.)

He finds himself grateful for Toph’s wishy washy instructions, though, because his mood lightens up the more he wanders around the city. _Ba Sing Se truly is a beautiful place,_ Sokka thinks as he stops for a moment to gaze at the setting sun.

By the time he reaches the plaza where the tea house is located - Pao Family Tea House, the sign outside reads - he’s almost back to his normal self, though the gnawing feeling of loneliness doesn’t ease completely. Nevertheless, he pushes open the door to the tea house.

His mood comes crashing down quick when he finds none other than Zuko - banished Fire Prince and the guy who has been chasing Team Avatar across the _fucking_ globe ever since Sokka’s left the Southern Water Tribe - standing behind the counter in an ivory and green apron, having the Spirits-damned audacity to make it look good.

Sokka starts spluttering, barely making out the stout figure of Zuko’s uncle serving tea as he points at Zuko. “You- What-”

Zuko looks up, eyes widening in alarm as he takes in his newest customer. Vaulting over the counter, he grabs Sokka’s arm where it’s still extended and all but drags Sokka past the counter and into the back of the store, slamming his back against the nearest wall with a thud.

“What are you doing here?” Zuko hisses, his face extremely close to Sokka’s.

Sokka narrows his eyes, ocean blue boring into gold. “I could ask you the same thing. If you’re here to track Aang-”

“No.” Zuko seems to deflate at what Sokka had said, and he steps back, keeping his voice low. “Uncle and I came to Ba Sing Se as refugees. We don’t want anything to do with the war anymore, and I just want- I want to find peace.”

“Hmm.” Sokka straightens his clothes and tries to look down his nose at Zuko. “Fine. I’ve got my eye on you, though. Don’t you _dare_ come near my friends.”

Zuko’s shoulders sag in relief. “I won’t. Thank you.”

Sokka gives an impressed hum and moves to go back to the main room of the store, but Zuko’s hand shoots out to grab his arm again.

“Wait. Um.”

Exasperated, Sokka turns, taking in the firebender. “What? I’m not going to mention to the others that I ran into you, and I know you’ll do the same.”

“Oh. I didn’t think of that. But that’s not why I stopped you!” Zuko rushes on. “I wanted to tell you that I go by the name Lee in order to avoid people recognizing me, so make sure to call me that.”

“Call you Lee. To avoid recognition. Right.” Sokka looks at the scar that takes up half of Zuko’s face. “Wouldn’t want that.”

“No,” Zuko agrees, seemingly oblivious.

They look away from each other at the same time. Sokka notices that Zuko’s twiddling his thumbs from the corner of his eye.

“So,” Zuko says eventually. “Do you want any tea?”

Right. Tea. The thing Sokka had been forced to come here for in the first place. He has half a mind to leave the shop entirely, but something stops him. “That’d be nice,” he says.

Zuko nods, steering Sokka back to the table-filled main area, shifting into customer service mode. “Did you have a specific tea in mind?”

Sokka shakes his head and flashes a smile at Zuko. He doesn’t trust the guy exactly, but he’d seemed genuine a few minutes ago, and Sokka _wants_ to trust him. “Brew me your favorite.”

Zuko looks surprised at the request but nods, a small smile taking over his face. “Okay. Take a seat while you wait.”

Sokka does so, taking in his surroundings as he waits. Pao’s Family Tea House seems to mostly cater to couples, though there are a decent number of individuals and a pair of soldiers in the corner as well. The walls of the shop are the classic Earth Kingdom green and match the tiles of the floor, but both the walls and the tiles have been dirtied and worn down. There are only eight tables total, shoved against the walls, and yellow lanterns cast a warm light on the occupants. A few paintings hang on the far wall, maybe in an attempt to make the place seem a bit cozier.

Done scoping out his surroundings and having decided that there are no threats nearby (aside from Zuko, but, well- nothing he can do about that), Sokka settles down and ensures that his boomerang and knife are in easy reach.

Soon enough, Zuko walks over and places a cup of steaming tea in front of Sokka, the cup barely making any noise as it makes contact with the table. “Enjoy.” He smiles tentatively and turns to walk away, but Sokka’s mouth opens itself.

“Wait. Sit with me?”

Zuko turns back around, a confused frown on his face and mouth already open, probably to reject Sokka.

Sokka busts out his best polar puppy face, and Zuko’s composure visibly crumbles. “Fine.” He slides into the opposite seat without Sokka having to say anything.

“Great! Now what’s this tea called, and why do you like it?” He plonks his elbows on the table and settles his face in his hands, smiling at Zuko. He’s not really sure why he wants to get to know Zuko so badly, but- oh, who is he kidding? He wants to know why Zuko had kept his word and spared his village when all the Fire Nation does is lie and destroy, wants to know why he’s been banished. (Wants to know why the scar makes him seem more attractive, wants to know what he tastes- _Woah, Sokka. Calm down. You never wanted to know that before. Why start now?_ )

Sprawled back, arms crossed, Zuko starts to respond but his voice falters when his gaze flicks over to the door, which Sokka has heard slide open violently.

Sokka spins around in his chair, eyes falling on an incredibly familiar tall figure. Unable to believe it, his eyes snap to the newcomer’s mouth, which, yep, has a piece of wheat stuck in it.

 _“Jet?”_ Sokka’s halfway out of his seat, glaring at the newcomer.

Jet’s gaze slides to meet Sokka’s. “Sokka?” He sounds as disbelieving as Sokka feels, but then his eyes land on Zuko and his face hardens. “Never mind. I’m tired of waiting.” He points to Zuko and Iroh, who has come out to stand next to Sokka’s table. “These two are _firebenders_!” Taking a step forward, he unsheathes his hooked blades, slashing them through the air. “I _know_ they’re firebenders. I saw the old man heating his tea.”

The soldiers sitting in the corner exchange a glance. “He works in a tea shop,” one of them points out.

“He’s a firebender, I’m telling you!” Jet’s getting increasingly worked up.

The soldiers narrow their eyes and stand up. The one that had spoken before speaks again. “Drop your swords, boy. Nice and easy.”

Jet does not, in fact, drop his swords nice and easy. Instead, he advances slowly towards Iroh, swords crossed in front of him. “You’ll have to defend yourself. Then everyone will know. Go ahead,” he taunts. “Show them what you can do.”

Sokka stiffens. As much as he dislikes Zuko, he hates Jet even more (not to mention he wants that shithead to pay for what he’s done to Katara), so he’s reaching for his boomerang when he’s stopped by a gentle touch landing on his shoulder.

“I got this,” Zuko says, voice low but steely, gaze fixed determinedly on Jet. He strides forward, sliding the soldier’s pair of dao blades out of their sheath as he passes. “You want a show?” He snarls, completely different from the ~~cute~~ tea server he had been ten seconds ago. “I’ll give you a show.” He flips a blade into each hand and drops into a fighting stance in one smooth movement. _Wait, since when can Zuko dual wield?_ Sokka feels like his world’s been turned upside down as he stares at the boy in front of him. _It’s kinda hot,_ his brain continues. _Like the way he moves, and his voice, and his scar, and everything else about him._ Sokka resolutely ignores his brain.

For a second, everything’s still.

Then Zuko drags a table towards him with his foot and propels it towards Jet, and that’s all Sokka’s eyes can keep track of before the fight is reduced to the clanging of metal.

At one point, it seems Zuko’s about to lose when Jet somehow hooks his swords and locks Zuko into place. Cursing under his breath, Sokka readies his boomerang, only to stop when Jet manages to throw Zuko out the window with a crash, darting out the door as soon as he’s let go of him.

Fuck. Sokka clambers over the mess of broken table that blocks the door of the shop and is hit by the cool night air just as he sees Zuko block Jet’s downward strike, both of them glaring into the other’s face.

“You must be getting tired of using those swords,” jeers Jet. “Why don’t you go ahead and firebend at me?”

“Please, son!” Iroh calls from behind Sokka, where he’s holding onto the doorframe of the store, all of the customers peering out from behind him. “You’re confused! You don’t know what you’re doing!”

Neither Jet nor Zuko seem to hear his words, trading blows.

“Bet you wish he’d helped you out with a little fire blast right now,” Jet sneers as he hooks his swords together and swings them around.

Zuko retreats before stabbing a sword through the handle of Jet’s. “You’re the one who needs help,” he says, bristling. Continuing with one sword, he swipes at Jet, who bends back - _far_.

Sokka watches the top half of Jet’s (stupid) mouth wheat fall to the ground. When he looks up, Jet’s standing on a well in the center of the plaza. “You see that?” He calls to the spectators. “The Fire Nation’s trying to silence me!” He scowls at Zuko. “It’ll _never_ happen.”

The fight continues, and this time the two of them are back to back, blocking and dealing blows in rapid succession.

Someone calls, “The Dai Li are coming!”

Shit. “Fuck this,” Sokka mutters, sending his boomerang flying.

It streaks past Jet and Zuko, ruffling their hair. They stop, squinting at the thing that had whipped past them. Zuko’s eyes widen in realization, and he ducks in the nick of time.

Jet isn’t as lucky. The boomerang hits him in the head hard, and while Sokka would love to laugh at Jet - bested by Captain Boomerang at last! - they don’t have the time. He runs forward to scoop up his boomerang and spots none other than Smellerbee and Longshot in the crowd. Tui, are _all_ of the Freedom Fighters here in Ba Sing Se? He makes eye contact with Longshot and jerks his head towards where Jet and Zuko are, hoping his eyes convey his urgency.

Turning around to run back, he sees Zuko holding Jet by the shoulders. As soon as he’s close enough, Sokka grabs Jet and shoves him towards Longshot, who’s slipped through the crowd behind Sokka. Smellerbee snatches up Jet’s swords.

“Get out of here,” Sokka hisses. “I don’t think you want Jet with the police force.”

Longshot, after exchanging a glance with Smellerbee, gives that solemn nod of his. The trio disappear into the throng just as the crowd parts to reveal two Dai Li agents.

“Drop your-” the barked order dies in one agent’s throat.

Sokka waves at them. “I incapitated the guy who attacked Lee-” he jabs a thumb towards Zuko. “-already. He must’ve had accomplices, though. They all disappeared.”

“It’s true, sir.” The soldier whose blades Zuko had borrowed speaks. “We saw the whole thing.”

The agent looks Sokka over with a critical eye. Sokka tries his best to look innocent and prays to La that nobody is going to rat him out. After what feels like a lifetime, the agent nods.

“Fine. We’ll look out for any suspicious characters.”

He and the other agent turn in sync, robes swishing as they disappear. Murmuring fills the air quickly, and everyone starts filing back into the shop. Soon, the only people who remain outside are Sokka and Zuko.

Sokka squints at Zuko. “What was _that_ about?”

Zuko scratches the back of his head, looking a bit sheepish. “Um. I met Jet on the way here and we kinda-” he breaks off.

“No way.” Sokka pieces it together, or so he thinks. “You guys hooked up?”

“No!” Zuko yelps, face bright red at the very thought. “Nothing like that. We just committed a few crimes. And, uh, kissed a few times.” He clears his throat. “Anyways, he didn’t bother us after that. I have no idea why he did what he did.”

“‘Did what he did’ as in try to expose you guys as firebenders?” Sokka’s mind is whirling. First, Zuko and Jet know each other. And they had _something_ going on. Which means that Zuko is… huh. Sokka hadn’t known that Zuko likes boys, let alone is comfortable enough with his sexuality to kiss boys who are absolute _assholes_.

“Yeah.” Zuko changes the subject. “I didn’t know you knew Jet too. Small world.”

Sokka snorts. “You could say that.”

They stand in silence until Zuko eventually speaks up again.

“Listen. Thanks for intervening. And for getting Jet out of there. I don’t trust him, but the Dai Li… they seem bad. Even the soldiers don't seem to like them.”

“Yeah. I bet they’re really corrupt.” Sokka looks over at Zuko and gives him a small smile. “And it was no problem, even though my tea’s probably cold by now.”

“Oh.” Zuko looks down at the ground. “Do you want another cup?”

“Nah,” Sokka says. “I should probably get back to the others. Thanks, though. I appreciate it.”

“Okay.” Zuko looks like he’s debating on saying something for a moment. “I’ll make it up to you. You can come by again and get another cup, on the house.”

“Really?” Sokka looks at Zuko, surprised that he’d even offer.

“Yeah.” Zuko gives a wry smile. “It’s the least I could do, given that you didn’t get to drink yours.”

“Alright. I’ll make sure to come by.” Acting on a whim, Sokka steps closer to Zuko and presses a kiss to his unscarred cheek, stepping back immediately after. “Thank you.”

Zuko meets Sokka’s eyes, flushes bright red, and grabs the front of Sokka’s shirt to reel him in. Their mouths clash together for half a second before Zuko lets go and takes a step back.

“Sorry.”

Sokka stares at Zuko, lips still tingling.

Zuko looks down, shame visible in every part of him. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“Hey.” Sokka bridges the gap between them again, putting a hand below Zuko’s chin and gently tilting his head up. Zuko meets Sokka’s eyes with his own wide ones, mouth slightly open. “It’s fine. I liked it.”

Zuko’s expression is open, hopeful, vulnerable, _soft_ as he scans Sokka’s face. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

Doubt flashes over Zuko’s face. “Wasn’t there a girl you were with?” The doubt turns into alarm. “Agni, you’re with a girl. I-”

“Relax.” Sokka dares to slide his arms around Zuko’s shoulders. “We broke up, don’t worry.”

Anger flares in Zuko’s eyes, and he pushes Sokka away. “Don’t take advantage of her. She seems wonderful, and you’re lucky she even looked your way.”

Sokka realizes he sounds like a massive douche and scrambles to correct himself. “I didn’t mean it like that! I meant to say that we’ve talked about it and decided not to continue our relationship if it’s going to stay long-distance.”

“Oh.” Zuko looks uncertain, now that the anger’s gone, and Sokka draws closer again, drawn to Zuko like the tides to the moon. He looks to Zuko, a question in his eyes. Zuko nods, and Sokka slides his arms around his waist. Sokka feels Zuko’s arms come up hesitantly to circle his waist as well, and he grins.

“Can I kiss you again?” Sokka has to look up a tiny bit to look into Zuko’s face, but he finds that he doesn’t mind much. He can get used to it.

“Yeah,” Zuko says softly. “I’d like that.”

Their lips meet again, but this time it’s soft and sweet, and the two melt into each other. Sokka hadn’t known that he’d wanted to do this, but he had, and it feels a bit like coming home.

When they break apart, Zuko has a faint smile on his face, and Sokka wants to live in this moment forever. He really does have to leave, though, and when he says so to Zuko, he just nods and lets go.

“What about your friends?” Zuko asks. Sokka can hear the unspoken questions: _How will they react to us, how will we manage to stay together during a war we have to stop ourselves, how will we know if we’ll survive at all?_

“We’ll figure it out,” Sokka says simply. He knows it’s not a direct answer, knows it’s a way of softening the harsh realities of life, but he needs the blurriness right now. And with only one look at Zuko, he knows the other does as well.

“Okay.” Zuko gives Sokka a tiny smile, but it’s a smile, so Sokka takes it and keeps it close to his heart. “See you tomorrow? For the tea?”

Sokka’s chest squeezes. Tui, he’s falling so fast for this dork. “For the tea,” he agrees. “Mostly for you, though,” he adds, watching Zuko turn soft and pink.

“Sap,” he huffs, smile growing a bit.

“That’s me.” Sokka grins, and he gives into the urge to peck Zuko on the forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He turns around at least five times to wave at Zuko on the way out of the plaza. Each time, Zuko waves back, and each time, Sokka’s heart expands a little bit more.

They’ll figure it out. Sokka promises himself that they’ll figure it out, that night under an indigo sky with twinkling stars and warm lights all around. He knows that he’ll do his best to keep his promise.

What he doesn’t know is that Zuko makes the same promise to himself a few streets away, feeling more at ease than he ever has in the past few months.

And they do figure it out, eventually. Zuko joins Team Avatar, the Hundred Year War ends, and everyone’s alive.

Battered and bruised, but alive.

“I told you we’d figure it out,” Sokka whispers to Zuko one evening, the sunset in Caldera City painting both of them bronze on the Fire Lord’s bed.

Zuko’s eyes meet Sokka’s, gold on ocean blue, and the corners crinkle into a smile. “Yeah. And we’ll keep figuring it out.”

“We will.” Sokka smiles, heart still expanding after all this time. “And I can’t be any happier.”

“Neither can I,” murmurs Zuko, eyes closing on Sokka’s chest. “I love you.”

“I love you too, darling.”

Tomorrow is another day, but they’ll continue figuring it out until their dying breaths.

For now, Sokka is with Zuko, watching his chest rise and fall steadily, heart ridiculously full, and he wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

**Author's Note:**

> commit a few crimes n kiss a few times am i right :D
> 
> 3 things: 1.) i did NOT come up with the dialogue or actions for the entirety of the jet vs. zuko scene; all credit goes to the amazing writers of atla 2.) the term ‘finger zaps’ is just another way of saying finger guns. bleekay on tumblr coined that term, and 3.) very sorry jet stans i know he deserves better :(
> 
> that being said, i hope you enjoyed this (especially Duckseamail)!! thank you for reading, and feel free to comment and/or leave kudos - those are my main source of fuel for writing, and i absolutely adore receiving them. have an absolutely LOVELY week, stay safe, stay sane, n stay hydrated <333


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